BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Mike Benmosche discusses the often violent results of arc flash, which can lead to serious injury, or even death, when someone is near.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — In a recent CarWash Safety 101 with Mike Benmosche blog post, McNeil & Company National Carwash Program Specialist Mike Benmosche discusses the dangers of arc flash and stresses the importance of safety when around or working on an electrical system.

He explains that an arc flash is a type of electrical explosion resulting from a low-impedance connection to ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system. An arc flash is often violent and can result in serious injury, or potentially death, when someone is near.

Benmosche continues in the blog post to share a story of John Albanese, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) for nearly 20 years and a service technician assigned to respond to and repair electrical emergencies, on his experience with an arc flash.

“It is important to not just understand the dangers associated with arc flash, but also to convey these dangers, and how to protect against them, to everyone in your organization through training,” says Benmosche. “It is also important to make the use of protective equipment mandatory in any situation where an employee would come in contact with electricity. If it is not already, make this a written procedure in your safety manual today.”